How to double your days off this Easter (and what to do with them)

30 March 2017

Did you know you can turn nine days' annual leave into 18 days off this year? Upgrade your Easter break to a longer trip with these brilliant mid-April departures

By Lee Mason

We've been doing some advanced mathematics around Easter holiday dates for 2017, and we have good news: because Easter and the May Day bank holiday fall relatively close together, savvy travellers can get 18 consecutive days off with only nine days of annual leave (April 18-21 and April 24-28).

So if you fancy it – and you have a relatively understanding boss – you can trade your Easter mini-break for an extended trip, grabbing a couple of weeks in the sun or taking that escorted tour or river cruise you've always fancied.

To give you some inspiration, we've rounded up a few tempting tours that depart in the mid-April sweet spot. In most cases they have several departures in 2017, so if you like the sound of them but can't fit them in at Easter, just check the tour description page for alternative dates.

Take a two-week tour of Japan

Immerse yourself in buzzing Tokyo, historic Kyoto and the quaint mountain town of Takayama; climb Mount Fuji, watch traditional kabuki theatre and explore Kanazawa's famous temple district. Our 14-day Discover Japan tour includes some of Japan's most memorable sights and experiences, and with a departure on April 16 it's a great candidate for an extended Easter trip.

Get to know Southeast Asia

With a departure on the 19th, this 16-nighter will require a few extra days' leave – but you won't regret it. You'll tour the timeless trio of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, with an overnight by the iconic limestone karsts of Halong Bay, a cruise on the Mekong and a visit to the jaw-dropping ruins of Angkor Wat. Plus there are city tours of Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon).

Set out on a US road trip

Our Golden West Adventure tour explores the western US, and it covers some serious ground. City stops include star-studded LA, cool and cosmopolitan San Francisco, and party capital Las Vegas; but we also head out into the wild, exploring Yosemite National Park, the Grand Canyon and the desert landscapes of eastern California, Arizona and Nevada. There's a departure on Good Friday, right at the start of the big Easter break – so the timing couldn't be better!

Fall in love with northern India

Start your big break a little early (Thursday 13th, the day before Good Friday) and you'll be able to take an unforgettable private tour of the Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan regions. Enjoying private transfers and local guides in each city, you'll visit iconic sights such as Amber Fort and the Taj Mahal, take a rickshaw tour of Delhi and explore the winding streets of Udaipur.

Or alternatively…

If you'd rather stick to a small break this Easter, we've got you covered – check out our list of European cities that come alive during the holiday, including blowout feasts in Athens, world-class chocolate in Brussels and an unusual fiesta in Valencia.

Published by Mail Travel, a division of Associated Newspapers Limited, a company registered in England under company number 84121 with a registered office at Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT

Contact us

Thank you for contacting Mail Travel.

Your message has been received and we will make every effort to get back to you within the next 48 hours.

There has been an error sending your email. Please, try again later.

First name (optional)

Last name (optional)

Contact number (optional)

Email address

Reason

Booking reference

Comments (optional)

Check

Subscribe to emails

Thank you for subscribing to emails.

There has been an error registering your email. Please, try again later.

At Mail Travel, we not only like to inform you on our best deals and competitive offers, but we also love to share our knowledge. By joining our community and signing up to receive our communication, you can be assured you are amongst the first to hear about our exclusive deals, competitions and anything newsworthy. Please also don’t forget to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter so you will also have the opportunity to interact with like-minded travellers, get insider travel tips from experts and share your thoughts.